Resilient vehicle-wheel.



F. H. BEAMER. RESILIENT VEHICLE WHEEL. APPLICATION FILED AUG. 29, 1910.

- zsnnmsfsnnm 1.

n I \x 06), i I e 4 J I i Y e I a 1* o s gi I I f I a l 0. 6 .1 z l 1' ly e J 2 01 I flyn go 75 Z Patented Apr. 16, 1912.

P. H. BEAMER. RESILIENT VEHIGLE WHEELL APPLIOATION FILED AUG. 29, 1910.

Patented Apr. 16, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

FRANK H. IBEAME-R,.0F BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

RESILIEN'I VEHICLE-WHEEL.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK H. BEAMER, a citizen of the United States, andresident of Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in ResilientVehicle-VVheels, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in vehicle wheelsespecially adapted for use on automobiles and other similar vehicles.

The objects of myinvention are, first, the production of a wheel havinga central member providing elastic motion in starting and stopping thevehicle which results in great benefit to the engine of the vehicle andalso eliminates or at least minimizes the jars and jolts while passingover rough roads; second, the provision of a wheel having a yieldingcontact or traction member so connected with the central member that thegreater portion of the jars or shocks to which the wheel is subjected,is absorbed by the connection between the two members; third, to providean increase of resistance between the two members of the vehicle wheelwhen placed under extra strain; fourth, to so construct the vehiclewheel that all chances of breaking the springs of the vehicle underextraordinary strain is eliminated and to resist such strains in aconstantly springy manner under all conditions of the road; fifth, toeliminate all up-throw of the car and to so construct the wheel that thestrain placed thereon tending to throw the body of the car upward isabsorbed in the employ of the central member of the wheel; sixth, toprovide a Wheel of this character which will tend to maintain thecar-body at all times at a more even distance from the road surface thanwould be possible with a wheel equipped with a pneumatic tire; seventh,the provision of means embodied in the construction of the wheel wherebythe wheel automatically and instantaneously adjusts itself to any andall road conditions either with or without a rubber tire; eighth, theprovision of a wheel where safety in fast traveling is assured and whichcan be easily adjusted to any size or weight of car, either new or old,and to otherwise improve on vehicle wheels of this type heretoforedevised.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in theconstruction, ar-

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 29, 1910.

Patented Apr. 16, 1912.

Serial No. 579,487.

rangement, and combination of parts to be hereinafter described andparticularly pointed out in the subjoined claims.

In the drawings,-Figure 1 is a side elevation of a vehicle wheelconstructed accord ing to my invention. Fig. 2 is a central sectiontaken circumferentially through the wheel. Fig. 3 is an enlargedvertical section taken on line 33, Fig. 1. Fig. 4; is a detachedperspective view of the inner wheel member. Fig. 5 is a detachedperspective view of one of the annular side members constituting part ofthe outer wheel member. Fig. 6 isa perspective view of a portion of theannular springs and one of the spacing members. Fig. 7 is an enlargedsectional view taken on line 7-7, Fig. 1, the springs being omitted fromthis figure. Fig. 8 is a sectional elevation of one of the rollerbearing fastening bolts.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, like letters of reference referto like parts in the several figures.

The reference letter A designates a vehicle axle and B my improvedvehicle Wheel considered as a whole, which is mounted on said axle. Thehub of the wheel may be of any common construction, fastened to the axleif used on the rear wheel of an automobile or car and rotatable on theaxle if used on the front or stub axles. In the drawings, however, Ihave shown a hub which is designated by the letter C and has the usualball bearings D. Secured to this hub in any suitable manner, butpreferably by means of bolts cl, is a circular member E in the form of aspider it having a central opening 6 for convenience in passing the sameover a part of the hub to be clamped thereon by a second part of thehub. This circular member and the hub C constitute the inner member ofthe wheel; and in order that the wheel resembles as near as possible thestandard wheel now in use, it is made with a hub portion 6 a rim 6' andradial arms or spokes 6 the inner periphery of the rim between thespokes having curved notches c for a purpose to be hereinafterdescribed.

The outer member of the wheel which is designated F comprises a felly fto which is secured around its peripheral edgeatire rim f having arubber or other tire f applied thereto and annular side members G whichare secured to opposite sides of said felly by means of bolts 9 orotherwise; said side members forming an annular channel H into which therim or marginal portion of the circular inner member is held.

At suitable points in the annular side members G, I provideanti-friction bearings I each bearing consisting of a cylindrical shellJ closed at one end and having a marginal flange 7', said shells beingthreaded into openings K in the side members and having the flanges 7'bearing against the outer surfaces of said side-members, the flangesbeing notched, as at 3' for application thereto a suitable tool wherebythe shells may be removed from said side members. \Vithin each of saidshells is placed a pair of antifriction balls L in contact with eachother and one in contact with the inner surface of the end wall of theshell, and the other in contact with the rim of the circular innermember E. The inner edges of the annular side members G are providedwith curved notches g at regular intervals and in line with the curvednotches of the circular inner member.

In preferred form, and for cars of medium weight and size, I employ twopair of annular springs M which serve as a means of connection orretention of one member of the wheel with respect to the other; one pairof these springs being placed at each side of the wheel and the springsof each pair being connected or trussed together by a spacing-member Ncomprising a grooved plate a having an opening a mid length and twoclamping members a secured by means of screws a or otherwise, to theplate n. These spacing members are arranged equi-distant around thewheel preferably at points centrally between the spokes of the innercircular member E and the two pair of springs are connected together bybolts 0 having opposite ends re- -duced in diameter and threaded, as at0,

said threaded ends being passed through the openings 01 in the spacingmember and having nuts 0 applied thereto to retain the two pair ofsprings in proper relative position; also to prevent displacement of onemember of the wheel relative to the other.

I surround the large intermediate portion of the bolts 0 with threesleeves or rollers P which bear against the curved notches 6* and g ofthe inner circular member and annular side members, respectively, theinter mediate roller of each bolt 0 bearing against the inner circularmember E while the outer rollers bear against the annular side membersG. lVhen the parts of the wheel are in normal position, these rollersbear against the said curved notches at central points thereof and theinner and outer members are adapted to ride over these roller-bearingboltsin opposite direct-ions when the wheel is subjected to torsionalstrain, such as occurs when starting the car in motion either forward orbackward or when striking an obstruction in the road; also to a slightextent when turning corners or rounding curves.

The springs may also be made of lighter or heavier stock so as toaccommodate cars of different weight, as this is fully within the skillof any mechanic constructing a wheel within the scope of my invention.

When starting the car in motion, either forward or backward, the outermember of the wheel is subjected to a slight circular motion which isimparted to the annular springs M by reason of the roller-bearing boltswhich connect the opposite pair of springs bearing against the inneredges of the side members G of the Wheel, and as these members areprovided with curved notches against which the outer rollers of thebolts contact, the side members have a slight movement on said rollers,forcing the bolts toward the axis of the Wheel and placing the annularsprings under strain until the movement is imparted to the inner memberwhich is brought about by the intermediate rollers of the bolts 0bearing against the curved notches of the inner circular member of thewheel. The springs M therefore serve as flexible means of connectionbetween the outer and inner members of the wheel and therefore, whenunder extra strain, such as might be imposed when striking anobstruction upon the road, there is a natural increase of resistance dueto the increased circular motion of the outer wheel member which causesthe curved notches to increase its contact stroke or movement againstthe roller bearing bolts 0 forcing said bolts toward the axis of thewheel a greater distance and consequently placing the annular springsunder greater strain. As soon as the car is brought into motion, theparts assume their normal position, thus forcing the inner circularmember back to its central springy position. The construction of thesprings and their manner of attachment makes it almost impossible tobreak them even under extraordinary strain as they give and resist in aconstantly springy manner under any condition of the road; and as theinner member is held within the outer member to yield in any directionradially, there is little or no chance of the body of the car beingthrown upward, the action being similar in result to a boat cuttingthrough the water instead of being tossed with the waves.

This invention can be used equally well on front or rear wheels, and beapplied to wheels of ordinary construction by slightly modifying the rimof the wheel.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is,'

1. A. vehicle wheel comprising an inner member, an outer membersurrounding said inner member, and a plurality of trussed annularsprings at each side of the wheel, the

springs at opposite sides of the wheels being connected and serving as ameans for yieldingly connecting the outer member to the inner member.

2. A vehicle wheel comprising an inner member having inwardly-facingcurved surfaces, an outer member surrounding said inner member and alsoprovided with inwardly-facing curved surfaces, and an annular springhaving contact parts engaging said curved surfaces and yieldinglyconnecting said inner and outer members.

8. A vehicle wheel comprising an inner member having a rim and spokesconverging from said rim toward the center of the wheel, said rim havingcurved notches formed in its inner peripheral edge, an outer membersurrounding said inner member and having annular side members providedon their inner peripheral edges with curved notches, the rim of saidinner member lying between said annular side members, and means foryieldingly connecting said members including contact parts in contactwith said curved notches. I

4. A vehicle wheel comprising an inner member having a hub, a rim, andspokes converging toward the center from said rim, an outer membersurrounding said inner member and provided with two annular side membersbetween which the marginal portion of said inner member is located, anannular spring in a plane outside of each side member, and means toconnect said springs and against which the inner peripheral edge of therim of said inner member and the inner peripheral edges of said annularside members bear.

5. A vehicle wheel comprising an inner member having a hub, a rim, andspokes converging toward the center from said rim, an outer membersurrounding said inner member and provided with two annular side membersbetween which the marginal portion of said inner member is located, anannular spring in a plane outside of each side member, bolts connectingsaid springs and against which the inner peripheral edge of the rim ofsaid inner member and the inner peripheral edges of said annular sidemembers bear.

6. A vehicle wheel comprising an inner member having a hub, a rim, andspokes converging toward the center from said rim, an outer membersurrounding said inner member and provided with two annular side membersbetween which the marginal portion of said inner member is located, anannular spring in a plane outside of each side member, bolts connectingsaid springs, and anti-friction sleeves surrounding each bolt-in contactrespectively with the inner peripheral edge of the rim of said innermember and the inner peripheral edges of said annular side members.

7. A vehicle wheel comprising an inner member having a hub, a rim, andspokes converging toward the center from said rim, an outer membersurrounding said inner member and provided with two annular side membersbetween which the marginal portion of said inner member is located, anan nular spring in a plane outside of each side member, bolts connectingsaid springs and having two end rollers and an intermediate rollersurrounding it, said end rollers being in contact with the innerperipheral edges of said annular side members and said intermediateroller being in contact with the pe ripheral inner edge of the rim ofsaid inner member.

S. A vehicle wheel comprising an inner member having inwardly-facingcurved surfaces, an outer member surrounding said inner member and alsoprovided with inwardly-facing curved surfaces, an annular spring at eachside of the wheel, and means connecting said springs and in contact withthe inwardly-facing curved surfaces of said inner and outer members.

9. A vehicle wheel comprising an inner member having inwardly-facingcurved surfaces, an outer member surrounding said inner member and alsoprovided with inwardly-facing curved surfaces, an annular spring at eachside of the wheel, bolts extended from side to side of the wheel andconnecting said springs, said bolts co-acting with the inwardly-facingcurved surfaces of said outer and inner members.

10. A vehicle wheel comprising an inner member having inwardly-facingcurved surfaces, an outer member surrounding said inner member and alsoprovided with inwardly-facing curved surfaces, an annular spring at eachside of the wheel, bolts connecting said springs, and anti-frictionrollers surrounding each bolt, said rollers being in contact with theinwardly-facing curved surfaces of said outer and inner members.

11. A vehicle wheel comprising an inner member having a rim and spokesconverg ing from said rim toward the center of the wheel, said rimhaving curved notches formed in its inner peripheral edge, an outermember surrounding said inner member and having annular side membersprovided on their inner peripheral edges with curved notches, the rim ofsaid inner member lying between said annular side members, a pluralityof spaced annular springs at each side of the Wl1eel,'b0ltS connectingthe springs at one side of the wheel with those at the other, and twoend and one intermediate anti-friction rollers surrounding each bolt andco-acting with the curved notches formed in the rim of the inner memberand in the peripheral edges of said annular side members.

12. A vehicle wheel comprising an inner member having a rim and spokesconverging from said rim toward the axis of the wheel, said rim havingcurved notches in its inner peripheral edge, an outer membersurroundingsaid inner member and having two annular side members between which therim of said inner member is located and the inner peripheral edges ofwhich have curved notches normally registering with the curved notchesof said rim, a pair of annular springs at each side of the wheel inplanes outside of said annular side members, spacing members holding thesprings of each pair in spaced relation, bolts connecting the spacingmembers at one side of the wheel with the spacing members at the otherside thereof, and three anti-friction rollers surrounding each bolt, theend rollers being in contact with corresponding curved notches of theannular side members While the intermediate roller is in contact withthe registering curved notch of the inner memher.

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

FRANK H. BEAMER. \Vitnesses EMIL NEUHART, ELLA C. PLUEGKHAHN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. C.

